Everybody poops. That’s the title of a top-rated children’s book that illustrates how we are all the same. When they wrote that book, we hope they considered all the creatures of the Earth because everyone from dogs to cats to lions and giraffes all poop. And so will your sweet little cockatiel, so be prepared, as it is a sign to if your little one is healthy or not.
Before we get into the deep end of the poop pool, let’s answer the nagging question that brought you here in the first place. How often do cockatiels poop?
Cockatiels are known to poop anywhere from eighteen to thirty times a day but mostly at night while they sleep. This is due to their quick metabolism that allows their body to digest food quickly. Normal poop will be dark with a while or beige center with a tubular appearance.
Continue on to read more about when to see a vet and what are some other signs to look on forward.
Also, check our our article – What do Cockatiels Like To Play With? for more info on other Cockatiels and must buys for your feathery pet!
Cockatiel Pool Normal Color
When a cockatiel is healthy, their feces will be dark with a white or beige center, which is their urine. Birds differ from humans in that their urine and poop all come out of their bodies at once.
Their urine should resemble ours, which is clear, and the feces will be smooth to somewhat firm but should be tubular in appearance. There should be darker areas that are solid. If you find that their stool does not resemble the description we’ve given above, then that could be a sign of a health issue.
When Do Cockatiels Poop the most?
While the amount of a single pooping session for a cockatiel might be small, as you have read, they defecate dozens of times during the day, so there will be a lot of poop. Cockatiels tend to do their business at night when they are sleeping, so the increase in waste when you uncover them in the morning.
Cockatiel Sign they have Healthy Poop
Healthy bird droppings should resemble dark tubes that are multi-colored, but, in general, the appearance of their poops should be on the darker end. But there should be a bit of white or beige, which we’ve indicated earlier to be the urine.
Consistency is also something that you need to consider when investigating your bird’s excrement for signs of health issues. Like humans, dogs, cats, and the poops of many other animal species on our planet, bird poop tends to look like a tube. It can be soft and mushy or partially solid.
When to talk to a vet
Contact a veterinarian when the consistency, color, or anything in your cockatiel’s droppings seems strange or unusual. When it comes to your flying friends, we suggest you contact an avian vet as opposed to a general practitioner. Doctors in this field train to treat birds, which are pretty different from other animals, as their combination urine/poop illustrates.
Signs Cockatiels are not healthy
Runny Stools
Runny poop is a strong sign that your bird is having a health issue. If you see watery droppings, a few things could be happening, but, most importantly, it’s time for you to contact that avian vet we talked about earlier.
If you have more than one cockatiel and share a cage, it may be a good idea to separate them to find out who is the one with the runny poop. As you’ve read, cockatiels defecate often, so it shouldn’t take long to pinpoint who it is.
There are several reasons why a bird’s poop will be runny. It could be something with their kidneys or an internal infection, so you must contact a doctor as soon as possible.
Other possible causes for runny poop in birds include stress, surroundings, and diet are a few.
Color Changes
Black
A color change is another indicator that something might be wrong with your bird. If you see a dark brown, black, or reddish stool, it could be something the bird ate or zinc poisoning. If you put a new toy in the cage, take it out and have the excrement tested at the vet to ensure there are no issues.
Green
Green poops could indicate Parrot Fever, which is a rare bacterial infection called Chlamydia psittaci. It’s also known as psittacosis. Humans can also catch Parrot Fever, but the instances are infrequent. Eating lettuce or other greens may cause an excess of color in their stool.
Green poops accompanied by a yellow urine spot could indicate excessive bile in their system, which would mean a problem with their liver. In this situation, you should contact your avian vet right away to remedy the issue.
Polyuria
If you notice your bird is expelling more liquidy poop, it could be polyuria, which happens when the bird is experiencing stress, fear, or agitation. It can be mistaken for diarrhea. Polyuria could also indicate diabetes, a hormonal imbalance, or liver or kidney issues, so it’s also an excellent time to call your vet.
Diarrhea
If the tubular portion of your bird’s stool is foamy, looks like pudding, or full liquid, this is diarrhea, which is dangerous for cockatiels. Call your vet immediately! Your bird will quickly lose vital nutrients.
Constipation or Lack of Excrement
If you notice that there are no droppings, the first thing to do is check their vent or behind. If there is a backup of dry poops, then you may need to seek out professional help. A way to relieve them right away is to bathe your bird. Let them soak it in warm water but never hot. Slightly above, room temperature is as high as you should go.
Just let your bird waddle around in the soothing bath until the dried-up stool starts to break away into the water. Cockatiels aren’t too keen on people poking around back there, so don’t be surprised if you get some hissing in reaction to your help. If this type of backup becomes a regular thing, contact a vet to see if there are underlying issues.
Birds don’t experience constipation often, but if your bird is overweight, it is a possibility. You could try some fresh fruit to loosen their stool. But if they still don’t poop, that means there could be an internal blockage, another good reason to call the vet.
Other Possible Issues
Blood, undigested food, and a foul odor are other reasons to give your vet a call. Any of these could be an indication of a parasite, fungal or germ infection, food or digestive issues.
There are some home remedies out there on the internet, but we feel it’s in your bird’s best interest to consult a doctor before you try to treat your bird for diarrhea or any other possible health issue your suspect.
Baby vs. adults
While it may seem like adult cockatiels poop a lot, be prepared if you plan on getting a baby. They poop more, but if you take a few preventative steps and keep up with our tips below, cockatiel poop will barely be noticeable. These gems of pets are easy with a little bit of maintenance.
How To Clean
Everyone can stick by a rule of thumb to give that birdcage an excellent clean and wash it down from top to bottom once a week. When you clean it, use a toxin-free soap, and be sure to rinse it thoroughly. If you already own cockatiels, you know how they love to bang their little beaks on the cage, and we don’t want them to ingest any soap.
Remove the dirty paper and replace it with a new clean sheet. One of the best ways to keep an eye on the consistency and color of your cockatiel’s poops is to clean their cage regularly. If you have multiple birds, you may want to do it more often if you notice the poop piling up quickly.